Why the switch? "We’re starting to see population-level protection from vaccines, and that lessens the risk of disease transmission across the state," says state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy. "With an improved testing landscape, especially in settings like schools and summer camps where we typically see a large number of outbreaks, this change allows us to efficiently focus our resources on the outbreak scenarios most likely to impact public health." The move also makes the state's stats look better — but the outbreak totals were already falling under the old rules. Until June 1, the CDPHE considered an entity an outbreak after two or more COVID-19 cases among residents, staffers or other people connected to a specific location were confirmed within a fourteen-day period, or two or more cases of respiratory illness with an onset of symptoms within a fourteen-day period were paired with at least one additional COVID-19 diagnosis.